When The Day Met The Night
by Koala75
Summary: Carlos Garcia would be the perfect boyfriend, if only girls could see past his energetic nature. So when Carlos starts to fall for a new girl at the Palmwoods, the boys are willing to do anything to help him win her heart.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, I'm Nat, and I make terrible decisions. I hope this works out though. If you've looked over my most recent story (Bittersweet Symphony), you'll know I don't have my own personal computer anymore. Despite that, I'm still working on fic. It's a slow and painful process, but I do it out of love. This fic will hopefully be updated faster than anything else, because it's also going on a Tumblr blog. It's a semi-sequel to "Strength Through Music", but that story doesn't need to be read to understand this. There's going to be a sequel for both this story, and STM, so keep tabs for that! Thank you, and I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

><p>"Hurry up, Loges!"<p>

"I'm going as fast as I can! Why do we have so many keys?"

"It's the little brown one- Oh, just let me see it!"

James swiped the keys from Logan's hand, picking out the one for their mailbox. He hurriedly unlocked it, yanking out the handful of envelopes that awaited them. Kendall, Carlos, and Logan huddled around him, inspecting the mail. There was a magazine, some junk mail, and a handful of coupons for Mama Knight. Nothing for the boys. Sighing, Kendall closed the small mailbox, taking the keys back. All morning the boys had looked forward to getting a letter from Effy, but they knew her letters took longer to arrive to them than theirs did to her.

Effy Valmont was a close childhood friend to the boys. She was a part of their group, and after going months without seeing her, letting her be checked into a hospital was difficult. Before they had left Minnesota for L.A, she had been mentally ill. The boys had regretfully left her behind, only to meet her again in California months later. Her crippled mind was worse, and after a short while, she needed help that they couldn't provide anymore. Effy had attempted suicide, and after the frighteningly close call, she was admitted to Meridell Achievement Center - a psychiatric ward two or three towns away. The boys couldn't visit, but they could at least write. Only a few days ago, they'd received their first message from Effy, and immediately responded. Now they were waiting for her replies.

"Don't worry about it, guys," Kendall insisted, breaking the silence as the group trudged down the hall. Carlos looked up hopefully, trying for a smile. Logan and James, however, seemed to shrug off the comment. "We'll probably get her letters tomorrow. She's got a lot to do, you know? Therapy and stuff." When the two boys still didn't respond, Kendall frowned, stopping as his friends walked ahead of him. After a quick moment of thinking, his lips twitched up into a sly grin, and he jogged after the boys. Jumping between Logan and James, he ruffled their hair, running away from them. "Come on, losers, we're gonna play hockey!" Glancing over his shoulder, Kendall saw Logan and James exchange small smirks before sprinting after him. Carlos cheered excitedly, following the rest of his friends.

If anything could cheer the boys up, it was a game of hockey.

They burst into the apartment, grabbing all of their hockey gear and racing down to the car. It had been a while since they all played together, and the idea of a game was comforting. The boys could remember being in Minnesota where everything was hockey, and things were never all that complicated. As if nothing was ever wrong in the first place, the boys joked and laughed while they drove through the streets of L.A. Only a few blocks away from the Palm Woods, the boys had discovered an ice rink - perfect for playing hockey. There were usually a few people there to skate, but more often than not, the boys had plenty of room for their games.

Once they were parked, the boys rushed out of the car, scrambling to get their gear together. Kendall and James raced each other to the door, with Logan close behind them. As always, Carlos scanned the parking lot, seeing how many people they were sharing the rink with. He only saw two cars, and a bike near the entrance. Grinning from ear to ear, he ran into the building, ready to play against his friends. It was always nice when they had the rink mostly to themselves. They could be as wild as they wanted.

As always, they were greeted by Willis, the owner of the ice rink. He gave them a wave, and nodded as they changed into their gear. One by one they boys slid out on the ice, feeling a familiar sense of home as they skated. Nothing could bother them here. All that mattered was hockey.

Time slipped away from the boys. Much like when they lived in Minnesota, Kendall, Carlos, James, and Logan wasted hours playing hockey whenever they could. It brought them back to themselves, and it made all their problems seem insignificant. Regardless of whether or not they would eventually get back to the real world, they were allowed to breathe here - and God knew they could use that breath every once in a while.

"Carlos, rush the puck! Come on!" James shouted, slamming his hockey stick against the ice. Carlos' eyes were locked on the small black disk, and he sped towards it, flying past Kendall. He was only the second quickest on the ice, while Kendall was the first, but James was keeping him blocked. Carlos swung the stick up to hit the puck into their makeshift goal, when he heard all the boys shouting now.

"WAIT, WATCH OUT!"

Panicked, Carlos dropped his hockey stick and whirled around. One of the skaters had been near him, and he didn't notice. He hit the person, and they lost control of their feet, not quite knowing how to avoid him without slipping on the ice. Carlos watched, too stunned to help as the person fell. Their helmet flew off, and the boys could all feel a twinge of surprise when long, dark brown hair fell around the persons' shoulders. It was a girl. Now Carlos was feeling guilt. Of course, all of that vanished when she hit the ground, a sharp cry leaving her lips when her head slammed into the ice. Her eyes were wide with shock for half a second, and then they were closed.

"Dude! Guys!" Carlos cried, not sure what else to say. He carefully skated to the girl, lifting her up in his arms and skating back towards the benches. Willis was already there waiting for them. Carlos handed her off, standing near the edge of the rink as he watched the girl get carried away. The boys skidded to a stop behind him, and Carlos turned to face them. "Wow, uh... Does anyone else feel bad, or is it just me?" James, Kendall, and Logan exchanged glances, patting their friends' shoulder. They knew Carlos well enough to know he'd react to this with guilt. Even if it wasn't entirely his fault, if someone was hurt, it was just in his nature to feel bad. He bit his lip, his eyes darting from the boys to the direction Willis took the girl in.

"I guess chill time is over," Kendall sighed, shrugging when Carlos looked up at him. He patted his friends' helmet, giving him a small grin. "Come on. We're gentlemen, aren't we?" James snickered, and Kendall rolled his eyes. "Okay, we're decent enough guys, aren't we? Come on. We'll go check if she's okay." Throwing his arm over Carlos' shoulder, he led the group towards Willis' office. They could see the middle-aged man sitting across from the girl, who was now awake. Her brown eyes were wide, and her hand was holding a pack of ice to the back of her head.

Willis looked up, giving the boys a small grin.

"She's fine guys," he said, knowing their question without needing to be asked. Willis didn't expect any less of the boys. They were good kids. The girl looked up, her eyes full of anxiety. Rather, a type of fear or nervousness that the boys couldn't place. Carlos gave her a wide smile, and she seemed unsure of how to respond. Willis took the girls' hand, helping her stand. "Now I don't trust you to drive just yet. Do you want to sit here for a while? Or, I can call a cab-"

"I'll drive her home!" Carlos interjected, holding up his hand. Everyone looked at him, and the girl immediately looked apprehensive. Kendall, James, and Logan pulled Carlos back, giving the girl a sheepish smile, and holding up their hands, silently requesting a moment alone. Once they were all outside of the office, Carlos crossed his arms over his chest. "What?" He was frowning, eyeing each one of his friends. James and Logan were trying not to chuckle, and Kendall was looking for a way to word his answer.

"Uh, Car, you realize you knocked this girl on her head, right?" he asked, his hand on the back of his head. Carlos rolled his eyes, then nodded. "You also realize that you're a total stranger to her, right?" Carlos blinked, then nodded slowly. Kendall waited for Carlos to catch on, but his friend said nothing. In all honesty, he didn't see a problem. He'd always done fairly nice deeds for others, and he wasn't aware that it would be weird now. Sure, he didn't know the girl, but he was trustworthy, and if Willis said he didn't believe she could get home safely on her own, then Carlos felt obliged to help her.

Carlos peered around the boys, looking back in Willis' office. The girl was feeling the back of her head, wincing when her hand touched it. After a few pats though, she seemed to grow accustomed to the feeling. She handed the ice pack back to Willis, smiling. Carlos smiled back, even if she couldn't see him. It never took him long to notice if a girl was pretty, but there was a little something more to this girls' smile. She had one dimple in her right cheek, and her thick lips were a slightly dark shade of pink. Her small brown eyes were full of wonder, much like Carlos'. It was like she was seeing and experiencing everything for the first time.

"Carlos?"

"Uh-huh..." Carlos didn't pay attention to the boys. He kept smiling, walking back into the office. Willis set the ice pack down on his desk, leaning against the chair. "I'm sorry I made you fall. I felt really bad. That's why I was offering to help you get home." Carlos explained himself calmly, licking his lips when he was done. James grinned as he watched him. He'd only seen Carlos act this way once before, and it was for a girl at their old high school. While James liked to keep things moving fast with girls, Carlos was chivalrous. He liked flattering a girl, and being sweet. It was second nature to him. The girls' hands were folded on her lap, and she nodded.

"I rode my bike here," she whispered, looking out of the window. Carlos' smile twitched up just a little more. He looked back at the guys, and James nodded. Kendall and Logan looked to the taller brunette, not liking where this was going.

"We'll take the bus, Carlos. You can store her bike in the back of the car," James spoke for the rest of the boys, having instantly caught on to Carlos' interest in the girl. Kendall and Logan were about to object, when James made a small notion to the pair. Only then did they understand. They all nodded, giving him a small thumbs up of approval, and disappeared from the doorway.

Turning to look back down at the girl, Carlos held out his hand. She stared at it for a moment, then took his hand, allowing him to help her stand. Pulling her hand back, she shoved them both in her pockets, following him outside. She remained quiet as she unchained her bike, watching Carlos lift it effortlessly and carry it to the maroon convertible. Smiling at the car, she ran her hand over it, like she'd never seen anything like it. Carlos wasn't surprised though. Out of all the convertibles he'd seen in L.A, not one was maroon. In fact, there really weren't a lot of maroon cars he saw in general. He shrugged off the thought, growing more and more interested in this girls' curious nature. After setting her bike down in the backseat, making sure it was safe and secure, he jogged over to her side, opening the door for her. The girl seemed fairly surprised by the action, but accepted it nonetheless.

"Thank you," she whispered as Carlos closed the door behind her. He slid over the front of the car, hopping into the drivers seat excitedly. The girl was putting on her seat belt, and had he not seen her doing it, Carlos would've forgotten. He copied her, eagerly pulling the spare key from under the seat. Starting the car, he drove off, stealing occasional glances at the girl. He opened his mouth to speak, but each time he did, he found he needed to lick his lips, or his throat was too dry.

Carlos had this feeling plenty of times before. He just figured that after a while, it would be easier to get past. Then this girl caught his eyes, and it felt like he was experiencing all of these little obstacles for the first time. He hadn't expected much out of this day. In fact, just this morning, the only thing he'd been looking forward too was receiving a letter from Effy. Had she written them though, the boys might not have gone to the ice rink. Then Carlos wouldn't have knocked this girl over.

Then he wouldn't have had the chance to talk to her.

And now he was blowing it.

"Uh, um, I really am sorry I hit you. It was an accident," Carlos broke the silence, a nervous laugh following his statement. The girl nodded, half smiling.

"I'll be fine. I've had worse," the girl answered matter-of-factly, her half-smile widening just a bit. Carlos didn't fail to notice. He was about to ask about it, and keep the conversation going, when the girl pointed ahead. "Just down the street there. I think you take a left, and then keep going. It's a little hotel called um... Palm wood?" Carlos almost stopped the car. Palm wood? L.A. was huge. She couldn't have meant _the_ Palmwoods! He swallowed thickly, shaking off the thoughts. Now that he listened to the girl talk, he could hear a prominent accent. She was clearly Latina, but he didn't think too much about it upon first seeing her.

"Palmwoods? I know where that is!" Carlos exclaimed, giving her a bright smile. Once again, she could only give back a half smile. She was nervous, and now it was obvious she was _intimidated_ by Carlos' persona. He drove quickly, the Palmwoods coming into sight before he wanted it too. Granted, now that he knew she was staying there, he could probably see her more, but he still liked this one on one time - as forced and silent as it was. He was blowing through every chance he had to say something, and as they parked, he knew whatever opportunities he had with this girl were almost gone.

"Thank you, again," the girl stated, removing her seat-belt and opening the door. Carlos' breath hitched in his throat.

"Wait!" he called, holding up his hand. The girl paused, halfway out of the car. She looked back at Carlos, her eyes uncertain. Carlos' hand fell down to his lap, and he gripped the steering wheel with his other hand. "Uh... Can I get your name?" The girl was silent, but after a moment, she smiled. She stepped out of the car completely, carefully closing the door.

"Norah. Norah Jiminez." she answered, giving Carlos a small wave before walking away. She disappeared in the small crowd of people, but Carlos still looked after the direction she'd walked in. Norah Jiminez? He knew that name. He'd known it since Freshman year. He couldn't believe he didn't recognize her face. Then again, he was used to seeing her hair cropped short, not long and flowing over her shoulders. He'd had magazine clippings of her all over his bulletin board at one point. Norah Jiminez was the youngest player on the Brazilian female soccer team.

And now she was staying at the Palmwoods.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I know it's been a long time since I updated, and I've been TERRIBLE about writing and getting things done, but this time, I'm really trying to work everything out. I'll be trying to update this weekly, and I really hope you dig the story. It won't be very long, but it will be full of Carlos fluff. Much love! As always, please check out the Tumblr blog dedicated to my writing/fanfiction. There are links on my profile page! Thank you!**

* * *

><p>Around the pool, everyone gathered to enjoy the afternoon. Most of the people outside were students at the Palmwoods school, and today marked the first day of final exams. There were still a few kids testing due to their work schedules, but by the end of the week, everyone hoped to be done with school for the summer. While several people were setting up for a game of water volleyball, Kendall, Carlos, Logan, and James were seated at one of the tables. Each of them had a notebook and pen in hand, and they seemed to all be deep in thought. Whenever they had free time, they used some of it to write a letter to Effy. They promised to send one every day she was gone, and their promise wouldn't be broken if they could help it.<p>

Animatedly, Carlos wrote about what occurred yesterday, knowing Effy would share his excitement.

_EFFY! Guess what? There's a new girl at the Palm Woods! Guess who it is! Norah Jimenez! Remember the girl in my magazine? It's her! The guys are gonna help me ask her out! You'll be her friend when you come back, right? Then when me and the guys have dude time, you, Jo, Norah, and Camille can have girl time. I know you'll love them. They're really nice, and they're cool like you. I can't wait for you to get home! OH! Remember that video game I taught you to play? With the cars? The newest one came out, and I really wanna play with you. We can play again once you get home. I'll re-teach you if you forgot! Love you, Eff!_

_P.S. Logan gets mad when I ask if you remember things, but I know you're getting better._

Setting his pen down, Carlos bit his lip, his eyes darting around with the hopes of seeing Norah. His smile faded when he failed to spot her, and he glanced back down at his letter. One line that he'd written wasn't exactly true, and he was tempted to cross it out. However, he knew it could become true - all he had to do was ask. As of now, the boys didn't know Norah stayed somewhere in the same building as them. After meeting the guys after dropping Norah off, Carlos shrugged off their questions with simple answers. He hadn't known what he wanted to do about the situation, but spending the night tossing and turning gave him time to think. During their first exam, Carlos could hardly concentrate when Norah's face kept coming to mind. He knew he wanted to see her again, and this time, ask her out on a date.

A grin stretched across his face, and Carlos folded his letter into the envelope, scribbling the address on the back and stamping it. Wordlessly, Carlos left the table, heading straight for the outgoing mailbox. He was going to find Norah, and he had the perfect excuse to talk to her. After dropping her off, Carlos noticed that her bike was still in the car. He'd offer it back to her, and before she could get away, he'd ask her out. The plan was foolproof! An extra bounce in his step, Carlos dropped his letter off, then began his search. No one but Camille, Jo, and a few boys were in the lobby. Frowning, Carlos secured the helmet on his head, briskly walking through the halls. Whenever the elevator opened, he would check to see who was coming out, but none of them were Norah. He paced all four floors of the Palmwoods, his legs aching by the time he made it back to the lobby. Out of breath, Carlos glanced up quickly, almost missing Norah. Gasping, he straightened up, smoothing out the wrinkles in his clothes before strolling over to the front desk where Norah stood.

Opening his mouth, Carlos planned on keeping calm and acting cool. He thought he'd say hi, ask if she remembered him, and tell her he still had her bike. His lips parted, and his mouth hung open, but no words came out. Norah was oblivious to him as he stood gaping at her, until she turned. Startled, she covered her mouth to keep from yelping, taking a few steps back. Carlos held his hands up, suddenly aware that he probably seemed like a creep just staring at her the way he was. Biting his lip, he tried to remember what he wanted to say, but his mind had gone blank. His mouth opened and closed, but he couldn't force anything out. Norah tilted her head to the side, her eyes narrowing as she studied him. Then the recognition played across her face.

"I know you!" she exclaimed, pointing at Carlos. He nodded eagerly, but still, he couldn't think of the right words to say. In fact, he couldn't think of words at all. The only thing bouncing around in his head was gibberish and animal noises. "You gave me a ride yesterday! I left my bike with you, do you still have it?" Her smile distracted Carlos, and he gazed at her lips, shaking his head when he realized it was his turn to talk. Clearing his throat, he opened his mouth to say yes, but his breath came short, and he coughed. His lips pursed, Carlos nodded, motioning for Norah to follow him. She didn't seem sure of how to react to him, but she followed Carlos out to the car, her expression brightening when she spotted her bike. Pulling it out of the backseat, Carlos handed the bike over to Norah. "Thanks, I'm glad I didn't lose it. I love this bike."

While Norah waited for some kind of reply from Carlos, he was too busy grinning goofily at her. His eyes were lost in way her hair was streaked with lighter shades of brown, and how pretty she looked in the clothes she wore. He had only ever seen her in a soccer uniform before, so seeing her dressed like a girl was new, and quite nice. She even smelled nicer than he imagined, and he wondered what kind of perfume she used. It was like candy, sugary and sweet. Norah walked around Carlos slowly, laughing nervously. Yesterday, he'd seemed so normal. Now she didn't have a clue what was wrong with him.

"Well, thanks again for my bike... I guess I'll see you around," Norah waved, as she walked away, turning before Carlos could wave back. Once she was out of his sight, Carlos blinked, his smile wide. He walked with an extra bounce in his step, only stopping when he was back in the lobby. Asking Norah out had been the goal, not staring at her like a doe-eyed dork. Groaning, Carlos threw himself over the sofa in the lobby, kicking his legs in the air. People around him were staring, but he didn't care. Getting a date with the girl of his dreams was going to be a lot harder than he thought.

Tuesday

Yawning, Carlos rolled out of bed, groggily picking out clothes and heading to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth, wiping the water from his mouth as he set up the radio that was kept on the shelf. Clicking on his favorite station, Carlos turned up the volume and started the water, waiting for it to warm up as he undressed. Stepping into the shower, Carlos closed his eyes and listened to the song playing. He scrubbed shampoo into his hair, dancing a little as he bathed. Unhooking the shower head, he held it up like a microphone.

"I've got sunshine on a cloudy day," he wailed into the shower head, smiling when Norah's face came to mind. "And when it's cold outside, I've got the month of May!" He giggled as he sang, rising the soap from his hair. Carlos wasn't even completely aware he was singing - partially because he was still just waking up, but also because Norah was the only thing on his mind. He remained blissfully unaware of everything around him until he left the bathroom and found James, Logan, and Kendall eagerly passing out mail.

"Effy wrote back!" James shouted, picking up Carlos's letter and passing it to him. Excitedly, Carlos tore open the envelope, unfolding the letter. He couldn't wait to see what Effy said, and he couldn't wait to tell her all about Norah. Perhaps she would know how to help him ask her out.

_Oh, my little Carlitos is growing up! This will be your first girlfriend, huh? I know you'll get her. The good guys always get the girl. So, I'll be writing Kendall about the dancing since both of you mentioned it, and I'm making both of you promise we'll learn every dance together. As for the video games, we'll make time for that too. We'll stay in our pj's, order some pizza, and play the game until our fingers are numb. And you know what? I think girl time will be healthy for me. Hanging out with you boys is fun, but I do need to branch out. That reminds me - I was let outside today. The nurses were walking me to the cafeteria so I could write my letters, and we walked outside for a little bit. I really missed it, like, more than I thought I would._

_Anyway, I haven't really been able to talk to other patients here, so I haven't made new friends. I don't really mind, though. The food is… tolerable. It's tastier than what we were given at school, actually. By the way, I heard Big Time Rush on the radio! There were some other patients listening to it outside… I really like it. Will you boys sing for me when I come home? I hope so. Love you Carlitos!_

_- Effy_

Carlos didn't pay attention to the rest of the boys as he tore a blank sheet of paper from the pad on the table. He picked up a pen and sat at the counter, spinning on the stool as he thought of his reply. Rereading Effy's letter a few times, Carlos ran his finger over the ink, hoping that whatever Effy was doing now, she was feeling better. The memory of seeing her wrists cut open flashed through his mind, and he frowned, shoving the thought away. Effy was in a hospital to make things better, and her suicide attempt was in the past. Remembering how she'd looked though... It still scared Carlos. He thought she was going to die. He remembered how it took him awhile to fully comprehend that Effy, a girl he'd known since Kinder, tried taking her own life. It blew his mind that she wanted to die. Shaking the thoughts from his head, Carlos focused on his letter.

_Eff, you don't even have to ask. Of course we'll sing for you! I bet Gustavo would let you come with us on tours if you wanted. You can hang out backstage and see all the cool stuff. I'm really glad you like our music. That makes me crazy happy - it's really fun singing and recording and all that. Maybe when you come home, you can come down to the studio with us and see how it all happens. I think you'd like it. Rocque Records is a nice place. Hey, you know what? I'm really proud of you, Effy. You're eating, and I know you had a problem with that. It's great that you're getting better. So I'm gonna hold you to that whole pj's and pizza party._

_As for Norah, yeah, she'll be my first girlfriend. So far there's not much progress to mention. I tried talking to her a couple days ago, but I couldn't remember how to talk. Like, I actually forgot every word I've ever learned! All I could come up with were pig and cow sounds... I think a donkey noise too. So, I didn't say anything. I mean it was just a wild guess, but I don't think girls are attracted to guys who only speak animal. Eff, what do you suggest I do? I mean, I really like Norah. I admire what she does as an athlete and I wanna date her. How do I ask out a girl who's... wow, how do I ask out a girl? I get nervous every time I see her, and if I keep forgetting how to talk, then I'm not gonna get anywhere._

_Okay, okay, enough about that. I miss you loads, Effy. I hope you can come back early. Logan says he got in touch with Oliver, and he should be calling you soon if he hasn't already. I hear he's doing really well, isn't that great? I always knew your brother could take care of himself. He's a smart guy. Anyway, enjoy the little things like going outside or having time to just relax. I want you to feel better. We all love and miss you._

Setting the pen down, Carlos read over his letter. His eyes kept returning to the paragraph he wrote about Norah, and as he folded up the paper, thinking he might add more to his letter later, he wondered if Norah thought about him at all. If he did cross her mind, what did she think of him? Was he just the weird guy who gave her a ride home and couldn't do more than gape at her? Or was he interesting to her? Did she want to get to know him? Sighing, Carlos tucked his letter in his pocket. He still had three more end-of-course exams to worry about, and Norah was the only thing he could focus on.

Wednesday

"Your boy-boy-b-b-boy, b-b-boyfriend, your boy-boy-b-b-boy, b-b-boyfriend," Carlos mumbled lyrics to the song Gustavo had forced the boys to practice for months, dancing the routine he'd learned months ago. As he combed his hair, he sang into the mirror, wondering if Norah was awake in her apartment. He hadn't seen her since Monday afternoon, and he was curious about what she did with her time. The last thing he read about her soccer career was how the coach of her former team had signed her over to the American team. That explained why she was here at the Palmwoods, and Carlos slapped himself for not figuring it out sooner. "Let me take a little moment to find the right words! So when I kick it to you it ain't something that you've heard..."

Carlos slid the comb back into its holder, staring at his reflection. Maybe if he saw Norah, he could sing Boyfriend to her and she'd agree to go out with him. Feeling his ears burning, Carlos shut his eyes and shook his head, laughing off the embarrassment. If anything, he had to hope he'd be able to talk the next time he saw her. Singing would be saved for another day, if ever.

Thursday

Exams were officially over after today, and if the boys passed all of the tests, they would receive their diplomas and be done with school. Waking up earlier than Katie and Mama Knight, the boys prepared themselves for the final exam. Kendall tried to relax with some guitar playing, while Logan reviewed notes he had taken in class. James spent his time doing small exercises, mumbling formulas and tricks Logan had taught him. Carlos, always the last to shower, divided his time between thinking about what could be on the exam, and the possibility of finally seeing Norah again. She never seemed to be around when he looked for her, but he hoped today would be different. Carlos turned off the water, grabbing his towel to dry off while he thought of all the potential the day had. Today could be the day he swept Norah off her feet. His daydream got away from him, and he began thinking of zombies attacking the Palmwoods, and only he could save Norah. He thought about her standing outside on one of the balconies, and just like in Shakespeare's stories, he was holding a skull and dressed in funny clothes, saying romantic Old English pickup lines to her.

Outside the bathroom, Logan, Kendall, and James were losing focus on their activities as Carlos sang yet another song. They exchanged glances, having noticed that almost the entire week, Carlos seemed to be in a great mood in the mornings. He never sang in the shower too often, and when he did, he didn't sing the love songs he was singing now. Groaning, Logan picked up his notebook and stormed to his room, slamming the door behind him. If Carlos didn't want to spend his time studying, it was fine with Logan, but _he_ wanted to pass his exams.

When Carlos finally did come out of the bathroom, the rest of the boys were ready to go to class and get the exam over with. They headed to the back building of the Palmwoods where the school was, and Miss Collins spread them out in the remaining empty desks. There were already a few other kids started on the test, and Carlos stole glances at them as he was handed his test booklet. Tearing the seal, Carlos wrote his name on the cover and read through the first page of questions. English, mathematics, and history had been easy, and science was saved for last. The first three subjects weren't too hard for Carlos, but science definitely wasn't his subject. Logan, out of all the boys, knew it best, and Carlos wished he'd remembered to ask for his notes. Sighing, he rested his cheek in his hand, drawing circles on the corner of the page. The clock kept ticking, and Carlos made it through half the test by the time Logan and Kendall finished.

Drawing more lines and circles, Carlos doodled Norah's name across the top of his book. By the time he realized what he'd done, the door the the classroom opened and closed, snapping him back to reality. Blinking, he glanced around, seeing that he, James, and blonde Jennifer were the only ones in the room. Gulping, he picked up his eraser, getting rid of as much of Norah's name as possible. He could still vaguely see the indention, but he tried his best to ignore it and think about the remaining questions. Biting his lip, Carlos skipped to the end of the test, working backwards and praying that some questions would be repeats. Managing to chew off some of the skin from his bottom lip, Carlos was relieved when the last question was answered and bubbled in. As he handed his test to Miss Collins, he gave a thumbs up to James for good luck, hurriedly leaving the classroom. Bursting through the door, Carlos ran from the building, glad to be done with school. He jogged through the hallway of the Palmwoods, sharply turning the corner.

"WHOA!" Carlos tripped, falling face-first onto the rough carpeted floor. Wincing, he rolled over, staring at the ceiling.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to- I'm sorry!" a voice exclaimed. Carlos peered down to his feet, his eyes widening when he saw Norah. She had been sitting with her legs sticking out, and Carlos managed to fall over them and make a fool of himself. Scrambling up, Carlos jumped back to his feet, shaking his head.

"It'sfineI'mCarlos!" The words came out as one, jumbled together in a rush. Norah frowned, staring at him, confused. Clearing his throat, Carlos took a deep breath before trying again. "I- I um, I'm fine. It's okay. I'm uh- I'm Carlos." Now the words were coming out slowly - too slow for Carlos's liking. Norah nodded, her lips slightly curling up.

"Yeah, I remember you. The boy from the ice rink," she said, holding out her hand. Carlos felt his knees go weak as he reached out, taking her hand in his and shaking it. Tucking her hair behind her ear, her eyes shifted from the ceiling to the floor, and she rocked on the balls of her feet. "Well, um... It was nice seeing you." Awkwardly, she waved, and walked past Carlos. He held up his hand, his fingers curling as he returned the gesture. Sucking in a breath, he whirled around, jogging after her.

"Wait, Norah!" he called out, running in front of her. He fell against the wall, blushing sheepishly as he straightened himself up. "Uh..." Carlos lost the words he wanted to say, biting his lip so he wouldn't blurt out any sound that came to mind. "Er- um, okay, yeah, it was nice seeing you too." Norah seemed to force out a laugh as she nodded and walked away, unsure of what else to do. Simply continuing to smile brightly at her, Carlos watched as she walked away yet again. The smile remained on his face as he stood in the hall for a few minutes more, then headed back to the apartment. When he entered 2J, he found Kendall and Logan playing video games on the couch. His smile was still obnoxiously wide, and he walked straight to his room, plopping down on his bed.

Only then did his smile disappear. Holding his pillow over his head, Carlos let out a frustrated yell, kicking his legs out in the air. Huffing, tossing the pillow to the floor, he stared at the ceiling.

"This asking out thing isn't working out," he sighed.

Friday

Flipping through the channels, Kendall glanced over at Logan and James when he heard the singing start. Mama Knight and Katie sat at the counter eating their breakfast, chuckling when they heard Carlos. Camille and Jo, who'd come over to hang out, stole looks at everyone else, their expressions curious. Logan groaned when Carlos started rapping the song, and the girls laughed. James chuckled, bobbing his head to the beat of the song. When Carlos stopped singing, Logan threw his hands into the air.

"Thank God, it's ove-"

"No, not yet," James interrupted, smirking.

"Every minute, every second, every hour of the day Iyiyiyi, every time that I'm away Iyiyiyi missin' you, missin' you!" Carlos sang loudly, causing Logan to start hitting his head against the book in his hands. Kendall snickered, tossing a pillow at James.

"You know how that song goes?" he questioned. James shrugged, his cheeks turning pink.

"So what? I've heard it on the radio a couple times," he reasoned, facing the TV. Camille and Jo giggled, looking between the boys. Logan set his book down, shaking his head.

"I really don't care. None of you are fed up with all the singing?" Logan asked, his brow furrowing when Carlos changed songs. "Especially that one. He sings it everyday, and he doesn't even notice! I'm all for morning people, but Carlos just- I'm not a morning person." Falling back on the couch, Kendall and James laughed at their friend, looking up when the bathroom door opened.

"My girl, my girl, my girl! Talking 'bout my girl! My girl!" Carlos snapped his fingers, humming the rest of the tune as he walked to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of juice. A skip in his step, Carlos headed straight for his room, too distracted by his thoughts to even wave at his friends. Once the door to his room closed, Jo and Camille's giggles busted out louder. Logan, Kendall, and James eyed each other, then the girls.

"Okay, you know something we don't. What's up with Carlos?" Kendall asked, leaning down to be eye-level with his girlfriend. Jo caught her breath, looking to Camille, then back at Kendall.

"Oh my God, you're serious!" she exclaimed. Kendall rolled his eyes, nodding. Jo and Camille exchanged another glance, then stood up to face the boys. "You wanna tell them or should I?" Camille thought for a moment, then nodded, and Jo held her hands out to give Camille the spotlight. She cleared her throat, and the boys leaned in, eagerly awaiting the secret they couldn't figure out. Mama Knight and Katie watched in amusement, clearly knowing what Jo and Camille knew.

"Carlos is in love."

* * *

><p>"CARLOS! CARLOS, OPEN THE DOOR! WE JUST WANNA HELP!"<p>

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL US?"

"CARLOS, COME ON!"

Banging on the door, Logan, Kendall, and James shouted for Carlos to let them into his room. After Camille and Jo filled them in on the obvious they'd been missing, Carlos came out of his room. When all the eyes were on him, and he realized everyone knew about his crush on Norah, he fled back to the safety of his room, locking the door and hiding under the covers. Camille and Jo sat at the counter with their faces in their hands, rolling their eyes at the scene before them.

"I can get a date by myself!" Carlos whined, throwing his helmet at the door.

"Then why haven't you got a date with her yet?" James questioned. Carlos was quiet, and the boys waiting, counting down the seconds until he opened the door. When they reached zero, Carlos unlocked it, and poked his head out, glaring at James.

"I'm not good with words," Carlos excused himself, shrugging. Kendall reached out, clasping a hand on Carlos's shoulder. Pulling him out of the room, he led Carlos back to the kitchen, sitting him down on the center stool. James grabbed the bulletin board they kept on the wall, tearing off what was on it and pinning up fresh sticky-notes.

"Exactly," James replied, pointing to Carlos with the pen in his hand. "Which is why we're going to come up with a plan, and get you a date with Norah." Hesitating, Carlos opened his mouth to protest. Yet the thought of having one-on-one time with Norah attracted him, and he sighed, nodding.

"Okay," he said, crossing his arms. "What do we do first?"


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm really sorry for the late update. The internet is acting crazy for me, but I wanted to change my update day anyway. I'm thinking the next chapter, or the chapter afterwards will be the last. Until then, enjoy the update. As always, please check out the blog dedicated to my writing. There's pictures of Norah, her wardrobe, and soon to come is a playlist for this story! I appreciate all of your views and comments, so don't be afraid to let me know what you think. Love you! Enjoy!**

* * *

><p>"What've you got?"<p>

Kendall, James, and Logan looked expectantly at the girls, hoping for good news. Jo and Camille's mission was to get as much information possible on Norah. Once the boys knew more about her, they could formulate the perfect plan to get Carlos a date with her - perfect, meaning not even he could screw it up.

"Well," Camille pulled the tape recorder from her bra, rolling her eyes and grinning at the sheepish stares she earned from the boys. Jo gave Kendall a small, disapproving nudge, and he shrugged lamely. Camille proceeded to play the tape, setting it on the table. The boys leaned in, and Jo and Camille looked around to make sure no one else was listening or watching them.

"_... things I like? Um... I haven't had a lot of time to myself to figure that out. I've always been busy with soccer and training, you know? Well, um, I guess I really like old 80s and 90s romantic comedy films. I love soccer, and baseball, and I'd like to learn hockey. I'm not too great on the ice."_ Norah sounded thrown off by the question, but she answered nonetheless, which the boys were thankful for. At least they knew she could be agreeable, instead of hostile. There had been plenty of girls like that here.

"_What about music?"_ Clearly it was Camille asking the overeager-sounding questions. There was a pause, a few mumbles (which the boys knew had to be Jo telling Camille to calm down as to avoid blowing their cover), and then Norah spoke again.

"_I'm not sure I have a favorite- uh- type, but I like what gets me pumped up for a workout. Or happy, motivational music. I like songs that make me smile,"_ she said.

"_That's cool. Hey, have you seen any boys you're interested in? I mean, you have a lot to choose from here. What's your type?"_ This time, Jo asked the questions, and played it off a lot more casually. There was another short pause, then they heard Norah's voice again. She seemed to be thinking about her answer even as she was saying it, and the boys leaned in as close as they could get. This was the information most crucial.

"_Err... Well, the boy that helped me at the ice rink seemed nice. I see him a lot around here and... he just seems nice. I guess that's my type. A... nice guy? He's the only boy I've really talked to other than my brothers,"_ Norah clearly doubted her own words, as if she believed that she could have this "nice guy" all wrong, but this was enough for the boys to go on. Carlos could be her perfect match after they trained him a little. They knew how loving and sweet Carlos was, but in order to get that side shown to Norah, they had to help him give a good first impression.

While the boys were plotting how to help Carlos, he took the bus into the city, stopping at L.A.'s central mall. He meandered around with his hands shoved in his pockets for half an hour, not completely sure what his purpose for being there even was. Passing several kiosks and stores, Carlos looked at all of the things that were on display. At the music store, there was a few columns of BTR's album, and he smiled when he spotted it. Two girls were picking out a copy, eagerly chatting away as they made their purchase. Pushing up his sunglasses, Carlos remained unnoticed as he strolled through the mall. He continued window shopping until he noticed a small jewelry kiosk. Lowering his shades, Carlos approached the stand, observing all the unique earrings and necklaces.

"Would you like to make a purchase?" the saleswoman asked, appearing in front of Carlos. He hesitated, glancing at all of the earrings.

"Well- Uh, what would you recommend getting for a girl you wanna ask out?" he questioned, holding up his hands. The saleswoman smiled knowingly, nodding reassuringly to Carlos. Turning to check her inventory, she ran her fingers over the rows and columns, tsking each time she paused. After a few moments, she smiled, pulling out one of the cases.

"I can tell you're a shy boy, but I bet you have a heart of gold," she said, jabbing a finger into Carlos's chest. He winced, but nodded, rubbing where the woman had prodded. Holding the case out to him, she opened it, revealing the earrings inside. "This is the type of gift you'd give, and I think with your charm, it'll work perfectly." Observing the earrings, Carlos grinned. They were little robot studs, and even if the woman hadn't recommended them, Carlos imagined he would've found them and bought them for Norah anyway.

"I'll take them!" he exclaimed, pulling out his wallet. The saleswoman boxed the earrings, setting it neatly inside a small blue bag and handing it to Carlos after he paid her. Waving goodbye, Carlos bolted out of the mall, not bothering to wait for a bus. He had a gift, and he had the beginnings of a plan. Hopefully he'd find Norah back at the Palmwoods. It didn't matter that the guys were formulating a plan for him; Carlos had always been impulsive, and when the idea struck him, he couldn't let the chance slip away.

Back at the Palmwoods, Camille and Jo were in the gym, spying on Norah. She spent half an hour every morning on the treadmill, after which she'd leave on her bike. The girls could see she was passionate about working out, which was good - a girl needed a lot of energy to keep up with Carlos. As of now, the plan was to get Carlos and Norah in the same room, and make sure he didn't say anything that could foil his chances with her. All he had to do was ask her out, and the group would take baby steps from there. Preparing to talk to Norah again, Camille froze when she saw Carlos run into the gym. He panted, trying to catch his breath as he sought out Norah. Camille's eyes widened, and she grabbed Jo's arm, pointing him out.

"Oh, shit- Keep Carlos away from Norah! I'll go get the guys!" Camille ordered, pushing Jo forward. Without waiting for a response, she sprinted out of the gym. Jo bit her lip, unsure of what to do. Carlos finally caught his breath, blowing out a gust of air before walking towards Norah. Eyes widening, Jo ran to him, tackling him before he could get too close. His head his the ground and he groaned, and Jo had to cover his mouth so he wouldn't attract attention.

Camille ran out to the pool, finding the boys and shouting, "HE'S GONE ROGUE! WE'VE GOT A ROGUE NINJA! CODE RED, GUYS!" Just as she received the boys attention, Jo walked outside, tugging Carlos along by his ear. James, Kendall, and Logan watched as she sat Carlos down at their table. He huffed, his arms folding over his chest. The small gift bag still in hand, he looked up at his friends, annoyed.

"What? I'm not allowed to talk to her?" he demanded. Logan scoffed, sitting beside Carlos.

"Not when you physically _can't_ talk to her. We're just trying to help," he said reassuringly. Carlos shook his head, setting the bag on the table.

"I had an idea," he whined, pulling out the box. He opened it, showing the boys the earrings. "I wanted to give her something. I thought maybe it would work." Jo and Camille exchanged glances, awed by how sweet the gesture was. Placing the gift back in the bag, Carlos sighed, burying his face in his hands. James patted his back, sitting opposite of him and Logan.

"Don't worry, Carlos. We're gonna get to that. The plans are ready," he informed Carlos, grinning when his head snapped up and his eyes and smile widened. The boys exchanged glances and nods, turning to Carlos to tell him of the plans, and even the backup plans.

* * *

><p>Lying in bed, Carlos held a pillow over his face, with the small hope that he'd simply fall asleep and never wake up. A coma sounded nicer than going back outside. A week passed since the plans were picked up, and absolutely no progress had been made. Although the boys were trying their hardest to help, Carlos couldn't get it right. He started to think that if it weren't for bad luck, he'd have no luck at all. Whining into the pillow, he rolled over, his arms dangling off the sides of the bed. All the attempts at asking out Norah, or even earning a smile from her when she walked by, had been in vain. Nothing could get her attention, and if it could, it was ruined. A chart of all the things the boys had tried hung in the living room, and there were more red x's on it than actual written words. They could hardly see the paper beneath the red anymore.<p>

"_Stand there, and get ready to hit the play button," James instructed, handing Carlos the old boombox. The bulky stereo weighed more than he expected, and his arms trembled when he held it up. "Jo and Camille are gonna open the door, and that's your cue, okay? Norah's gonna stand on the balcony, and your Say Anything reference will make her melt, and you'll have yourself a date. We clear?" Carlos nodded, and James slapped his shoulder, giving him a thumbs up. Carlos set the stereo down, shaking his hands and arms to limber up. He watched the door, and once it opened, he clicked play and quickly lifted the stereo. However, he managed to lift it too fast, and his balance was thrown off just as Norah came outside. He dropped the stereo, falling backwards and slipping into the pool. Hurriedly, Jo and Camille directed Norah's attention elsewhere, and the boys helped Carlos out of the water._

Frowning at the memory, Carlos repeatedly hit his head against the wall. He didn't think it'd be that hard to ask a girl out. In fact, it never had been before. It was so easy with this Jennifers! Why did it have to be complicated with Norah?

_Jogging on the treadmills, the boys made sure they were all taken when Norah came in. She searched for an empty one, frowning when she saw there were none. The plan was for Carlos to offer her his, and from there they could start talking. Hitting the buttons, Carlos tried to turn the machine off, but his eyes were fixed on Norah. Pushing the wrong button, the treadmill sped up, and as Carlos opened his mouth to call out to Norah, he slipped. Flying off into a group of wrestlers, Carlos was caught in the middle of a fight while Norah looked around to see if whoever was on the now empty treadmill was coming back. The boys had to run over and pull Carlos out of the wrestling match, blocking him from Norah's view._

Staring at the clock, Carlos read the time before standing up and stretching. He headed to the bathroom, clothes and towel in hand. The living room was empty, and he assumed everyone had gone to bed. James was probably still out on his date, which was why Carlos had been alone in their room. It was eleven thirty and here he was showering away the stench of depression and failure.

"_Guys, these flowers are attracting a lot of bees. Are you sure this-"_

"_Don't worry, Car. You'll get this one!"_

_Carlos didn't make it three steps before a swarm of bees buzzed around him. Dropping the bouquet, he bolted towards the pool jumping in the water and refusing to come up until his lungs felt like they would pop._

Sighing, Carlos let the water rinse away the soap on his body until it turned cold. He didn't think about it when he turned the water off and dried himself. He didn't think as he dressed and walked through the dark apartment. His body moved on its own accord, and when he realized what he was doing, the apartment was behind him. Carlos crept through the halls, opening the door that led outside to the pool. Taking a seat on the edge of the concrete, he dipped his feet into the water, looking up at the stars. There were too many failed attempts for him to remember them all at once, but the most embarrassing came first. Swishing his feet around to create ripples in the water, he thought about what he could try next. If he was being honest with himself though, he'd admit that he didn't want to try anymore. He desperately wanted to ask Norah out on a date, but there was only so much he could take. What if she ended up saying no? Every last try he made would've been for nothing. Horrified by the idea, he shoved it from his mind, shaking his head. Behind him, he heard the door open, and he froze, praying it wasn't Bitters.

"Oh, hi," Norah's voice made Carlos whip his head around, wincing at the pain in his neck. She had a towel in her hands, and she wore a dark blue, one-piece swimsuit. Hesitantly, she approached Carlos, biting her lip. "Sorry, usually no one's out here." Gaping at her, Carlos searched for the right words to say.

"Wh- what are you doing out here? It's almost midnight," he said, turning back to look at the sky. It was easier to talk when he didn't look directly at her. Norah set her towel down on the nearest chair, slowly approaching the pool. She climbed down the three steps, floating in the water.

"I like coming down for swims when no one else is around," she answered. She swam to the opposite end of the pool and back, stopping beside Carlos. "What about you? Why are you here?" Offering him a small smile, Norah folded her arms on the ledge, resting her head on them.

"I couldn't sleep... I have a lot on my mind," he replied, shrugging. Norah nodded in understanding, turning to swim another few laps. Carlos watched her for a few minutes, anticipation building up in the pit of his stomach. He had a chance now. All he had to do was take it. "Hey!" Calling out to Norah, Carlos clenched his fists, clearing his head of anything but the words he wanted to say. Poking her head out of the water, Norah swam back to Carlos, pushing herself out of the water. She sat on the edge adjacent to him, wiping her face.

"You called?" she tilted her head to the side, waiting to hear what he wanted to say. Carlos felt the words creep up his throat, and they caught, choking him. Biting his lip, he closed his eyes. Norah stood up, fetching her towel and drying herself as she sat down beside Carlos. He stuttered, pursing his lips to keep the words in until he could control them. Giggling, Norah folded her legs beneath her, leaning forward.

"Do you want to go out with me?" she asked.

"Will you go out with me?" Carlos's words came out immediately after Norah's and his eyes widened when he registered what just happened. Norah giggled again, leaning back and pondering the question. "Did we just ask each other out?" His eye twitched, and Norah nodded, her smile stretching across her face. "I've been trying to ask you out for a week- I've gone through so much with no results and... You're just gonna ask me out like that?!" Carlos sounded exasperated, and his expression kept Norah's giggles coming. He ran a hand over his head, trying to think of what to say next. "Are you gonna answer?" he finally asked.

"I asked you first," Norah replied immediately, smirking. Carlos let out a small whimper, pinching the bridge of his nose. "How about we answer together?" Considering the option, he let out a breath and nodded.

"On three?" he offered. Nodding curtly, Norah continued to smile as Carlos counted down. Once he hit zero, they both waited for just a second before talking.

"Yes," they said together. Carlos felt his lips twitch up, and he smiled right back at Norah. She stood up, wrapping her hair in the towel.

"It's a date then," she confirmed, holding out her hand. Carlos pushed himself up and took her hand, giving it a small squeeze.

"Tomorrow afternoon? Say, five?" he asked.

"Sounds perfect," she stated. Leaving him with a small smile, Norah walked back inside. Carlos stood alone for a while, replaying what happened in his head. He didn't know how much time passed, but he didn't snap out of his trance even when James came outside.

"Dude, what are you doing out here? It's one in the morning!" he exclaimed. Carlos turned to face James, his smile as wide as ever. "Carlos, you okay?" James waved a hand in front of his face, but Carlos didn't make any notion that he knew it was happening.

"I have a date," he said simply, his eyes rolling back as he fell into the water.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Yay! An update on time! This chapter has been in my head for such a long time, it's not even funny. I'm glad to finally be getting this out to all of you. I think there's going to be just one more (possibly short) chapter, and it'll be a wrap on this fic! Thank you so much for reading. I appreciate the time you take to give my work a chance. I'll be posting the playlist for this story on my Tumblr later, so be on the lookout for that! Check my profile page for the links.**

* * *

><p>Unlike before, Carlos decided against asking the guys for help with his date. After talking to Norah the way he had last night, he decided to see how he could do on his own. Help from the guys ended in disaster, and Carlos wondered if it was better for him to try working alone. Kendall, James, and even Logan had their own styles of dating - Kendall was a hopeless romantic for Jo, James liked to play the field, and Logan still had to figure out exactly what he preferred when it came to relationships. Carlos wanted to learn on his own what he could be as a boyfriend. He didn't want a relationship like Kendall and Jo's, nor did he want one like Logan had with Camille. He wasn't comfortable dating around the way James did. What Carlos wanted was to be with a girl he liked, and Norah was that girl. He could learn from there. Or, at least he hoped he could. Sighing, Carlos fixed his shirt, smoothing out wrinkles.<p>

"I dig the casual look," James complemented, snapping Carlos out of his thoughts. He nodded, checking to make sure his jeans weren't ripped. Opening the fridge and pulling out a bottle of water, James leaned against the wall, exchanging glances with Kendall. "You sure you're gonna be able to handle this on your own? I mean, we can help, if you really need it." Kendall opened his mouth to add to what James said, but Carlos shook his head.

"What I need is for you guys to let me take care of this, okay?" his voice was firm, making it clear that there would be no room for argument. "I just don't wanna be the baby of the group forever, you know?" Nodding, James held up his hands in surrender, taking a seat beside Kendall. The boys turned on the TV, and Carlos checked his watch. He had fifteen minutes before he wanted to go out and wait for Norah. Hearing the door open, the boys looked over to see Logan with mail in his hands.

"She's writing back daily now?" Kendall asked, a grin stretching across his face. Logan shrugged, then nodded, handing an envelope to Kendall and James. He stopped in front of Carlos, holding up the letter addressed to him.

"You want it now, or after your date?" Logan asked, flipping the thin envelope between his fingers. Out of all the boys, Logan understood Carlos's want to be left alone the most. He knew what it was like to be nervous about dates, and he could relate to what Carlos felt. Contemplating the offer, Carlos reached out, taking the envelope. The boys opened their letters, and the room remained silent albeit a few intermittent chuckles at whatever Effy had written. Unfolding the paper, Carlos smiled as he looked over his letter.

_Carlos, if you're not writing down details about your date with Norah the next time I get mail, I'm gonna bust out of this hospital and shank you. Don't make me do it! Seriously though, she's probably gonna be as nervous as you. Girls aren't made of steel, contrary to your beliefs. From what I remember reading about her in that magazine you had, she seems like a really sweet girl - the total opposite of some of the girls at the Palmwoods (cough, cough, the Jennifers). Oh God, do you know what I just realized? They flirted with "Dexter," right? We all know Dexter was actually me. They were flirting with a girl. I was flirted with by girls. Let's just... let that sink in. Psst, if you haven't caught on, I'm trying to make you laugh. Anyway, I hope you get the date with her, and I hope Norah is as nice as I'm imagining. You've got the potential to be the best boyfriend. I remember how sensitive you could be when we were in high school. Use that! I've said it before, I'll say it again: play on your good qualities. You have a million of them. By the way, I finally got a bit of TV time. I caught some interesting bits of a canned reality show. You and James better stop fighting! Also, I know it was filmed before Logan and I... you know, became a thing, but still, keep your eye on him for me. He better not be getting kisses from any girls (or boys, I don't know his life). I love you, Car. Hope to see you soon._

As always, Effy signed her letter with a smiling cartoon face. Running a finger over the ink, Carlos felt some of his nerves ebbing away. Effy had to know what she was talking about, and he trusted her. Maybe Norah was just as nervous as him. Peering around the room, Carlos saw Logan, Kendall, and James grinning down at their letters. He folded the paper, tucking it in his back pocket. Hopefully later tonight he'd have something great to write back to her. Checking his watch, he sucked in a breath, holding it for a few seconds. Tapping the counter, he bounced from one foot to the other, hoping he could relax enough before getting to the lobby. Walking past everyone, Carlos spotted Norah sitting on the couch, running a hand through her hair. He stared, awed, for a moment, before licking his lips and shaking his head. Approaching the couch, he stopped beside her, smiling when she looked up at him.

"Hey," he said, giving her a small wave. She waved back, standing up and tucking her hair behind her ear. There was a hat in her hand, and she carefully fixed it on.

"Hi." Norah held her hands behind her back, staring around the lobby. "So," She rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet, finally looking at Carlos. "What are we gonna do?" It took a moment for Carlos to remember she was talking to him, and he coughed, clearing his throat.

"Oh, yeah- I thought maybe we could just... ride our bikes to the pier. Does that sound okay?" he asked hesitantly. Norah smiled, nodding. She paused, then held out her hand for Carlos to take. His smile stretched as he grabbed it, walking with her outside to their bikes. Walking out to the sidewalk, Norah mounted her bike, watching as Carlos copied. He bit his lip, glancing at her. "Wanna race?" Perking up, Norah grinned.

"What does the winner get?" she questioned.

"A kiss," Carlos answered without any thought behind it. He froze, his eyes bulging and his ears turning red. Norah chuckled, pedalling ahead of him.

"You're on!" she called over her shoulder, smirking. Carlos sped after her, and the two raced down the sidewalks. Weaving through the clusters of people, they kept their eyes on each other, pedalling faster to gain distance on the other. In no time, they reached the pier, and Norah was the first to reach all the other bikes that were lined up. Jumping off of her bike, she cheered, throwing her hands in the air. Close behind her, Carlos started clapping, stepping off of his bike and chaining it up beside Norah's. She stood in front of him, her eyebrow cocked. "Now, you didn't just let me win cause I'm a girl, right?" Carlos scoffed, rolling his eyes exaggeratedly.

"No way!" he shouted, his hands on his hips.

"Well then, you owe me a kiss," Norah reminded him. She tapped her cheek, and Carlos gave it a soft peck. His lips curled up when he saw the red flush across her skin, and he held out his hand. Holding it, Norah looked around the pier, stopping when she spotted the Ferris wheel. "Hey," she pointed out the ride, excitement in her eyes, "Can we go on that thing?" Carlos followed to where her finger was pointing, and he nodded.

"Yeah, the Ferris wheel?" he asked to make sure, noting the unsure look in Norah's eyes.

"I wasn't sure what it was called. I've only seen them in movies," she replied, shrugging. Carlos scoffed, until he realized she was being serious.

"You've never been on a Ferris wheel?" Carlos could feel the surprise showing on his face as Norah shook her head. "Never ever?" Again, she shook her head.

"Between practicing for games, training with the team, and actually playing in matches, I've never really had the chance to go out and do stuff like this," Norah admitted. The two walked to the Ferris wheel, and once they were seated, Norah squeezed Carlos's hand. She held onto it tight as the ride began moving, staring over the sides of their cart to see beneath them. "This is why I'm glad I got to leave Brazil. I always loved coming to America to visit Momma, and I thought it'd be great to live here." As the ride continued, Carlos listened intently, the questions on his tongue not even needing consideration.

"I remember reading something about you, in an article. You were born here in America," he commented, thinking back to when he first saw that issue of his sports magazine. Norah stared at him curiously, and Carlos blushed sheepishly. "I mean- I was a fan, or, I am a fan. I followed your team during the World Cup. There was an article about how you were the youngest player to ever join the team, and you were my age! So I thought, wow, this girl is cool, and from there I became a fan." Norah's hand flew up to her cheek, and she bashfully looked away. She'd been approached by fans before, but this gave her a different feeling. It was the same warm excitement, but it gave more butterflies to her stomach.

"What all do you know about me then?" she wondered, staring at Carlos. He face heated up, and he laughed nervously. Scratching the back of his head, he thought of where to start.

"Well, I know your Dad is from Brazil, and your Mom is American. Uh, you were fifteen when you joined the team, and... It's hard to think of everything when I'm put on the spot like this," Carlos stated. Norah smiled, running her thumb over the back of his hand. "Come to think of it, I guess it makes sense that you've never had time to go out like this. Your life has been nothing but soccer since you were a kid, right?" Nodding, Norah's smile began to fade. "I've always wanted to ask, how did you get on the team so young?" For a moment, she was quiet, thinking about the answer. Carlos waited patiently, neither of them noticing when the ride stopped to let other couples on or off.

"No one's really supposed to know, but the coach is my Dad," Norah revealed, frowning. Carlos's eyes widened. He'd never read that before, and he supposed it would look unfair. However, he'd seen Norah play, and she did have an extraordinary talent on the field. Playing soccer seemed to just come from her heart. "I hope that doesn't change your thoughts on my skills or anything. I really do work as hard as I can. Harder, in fact. Dad had me on a really strict schedule." The understanding in Carlos's eyes made Norah's smile slowly come back, and he returned it with a gentle grin. "Thanks." Shifting in his seat, he turned to face her.

"So what do you mean by strict? Did you have any free time?" he asked. Norah shook her head immediately, her cheeks puffing as she blew out a breath.

"No, hardly any free time. Dad originally tried to train my brothers, but they didn't have a 'natural talent for the game' like I did," Norah quoted words Carlos assumed her father said. She pulled off her hat, pushing her hair back before replacing it again. "Mom didn't like how much pressure she thought he was putting on me, but I really did enjoy playing. I guess it all just started so early, I thought that was how life was supposed to work. Mathias and Davie were responsible for helping me with homeschooling, and the rest of the time went to playing soccer. I'd get breaks when I went to visit Mom, but she died when I was seven." Carlos frowned, this time running his thumb over the back of her hand.

"I'm sorry about that," he whispered. Norah shrugged, flashing him a half-smile.

"I accepted it a long time ago," she said, shaking her head. The ride stopped, and Norah stood, with Carlos following her as the left the ride. With her hand still in his, Carlos led her down the walkway, stopping in front of the gift shop.

"Oh! That reminds me!" he exclaimed, reaching into his back pocket. He pulled out the small box, handing it to Norah. "I got you these. I thought you might like them." Norah's smile broadened, and she opened the box, giggling when she pulled out the earrings.

"They're fantastic! Thank you, I love them," she beamed at Carlos as she put the earrings on, tucking her hair behind her ears to show them off. Her eyes landed on the rack of sunglasses beside Carlos, and she chuckled, picking up a pair. "I think they'd go great with these, don't you?" There was a chain around them, and Norah pulled it over her head, fixing them on her face. A small, plastic mustache was connected to it, and Carlos laughed, picking up a pair for himself.

"Definitely!" he agreed, wearing the glasses and making faces at Norah. "They look good on me, don't they?" she nodded, giggling at every silly expression he wore. Behind them, they heard screams and shouts of excitement, and they turned to see people on one of the roller coasters. "Hey, how about I buy these, and then we go for a ride on that?" Hesitating, Norah's eyes followed the track, stopping on the loop. She clenched her teeth, but seeing the earnest look on Carlos's face sold her.

Relaxing, she smiled and took his hand.

* * *

><p>"What is that?" Norah asked, tilting her head as she watched Carlos pour the sour sugar onto his candy. After spending an hour on the rides around the pier, the two ran through the candy shop. Carlos learned that part of Norah's strict lifestyle had been an even stricter diet. If it weren't for the lean cuts of chicken and lamb her father allowed, she would've been a vegetarian her whole life. She hadn't had a piece of candy since she was six-years-old. The way her eyes widened at all the colorful, sugary sweets amused Carlos, and he caught himself falling for how innocently naive she seemed to be. It felt like he could relate to her in a way; they were both so positive, it made them even happier to be around each other.<p>

"_These_ are Sour Patch Kids," Carlos began explaining, holding out the small figures. "And this is the stuff that makes them sour." He pinched the excess sugar between his thumb and forefinger, adding a generous extra coating to the candy.

"Isn't that… too sour?" Norah questioned further, biting her lip at the thought of "too sour." Carlos, however, scoffed playfully and shook his head. He was acting as if he knew everything, and how he did so made Norah smile. He was amusing to be around, and she adored how simple it was to be in his company.

"They don't make a candy too sour for me!" Carlos bragged, coating the extra sugar on every bit of candy in his bag.

Norah watched quietly, leaning in a few centimeters when Carlos picked up his first piece. The color was hidden by the white sugar, but he didn't seem to care. Eagerly, he added four more pieces to the palm of his hand, swiftly shoving them all into his mouth. Norah didn't blink. She watched Carlos as he sucked on the candy for only a moment, and pulled back a bit when his eyes squeezed shut, and his lips sucked in. He coughed, leaning away from Norah, and disappearing from view as he choked out his candy under the table. Almost as quickly as he spit it out, he was sitting up again, his tongue poking out of his mouth as he tried to regain composure. Norah laughed, covering her mouth as she fought her fit of giggles.

"Now you have to share these Warheads with me!" Norah exclaimed, the laughter still in her voice as she motioned to Carlos's sugar-soiled candy. He eyed the Warheads before shaking his head.

"Nah, I don't like Warheads. Too sour," Carlos admitted, throwing Norah into another round of giggles. He watched her rest her elbows on the table, covering her face as she laughed. When she moved her hands away, he observed the way her eyes lit up with each laugh, and how her smile stretched across her face. Had he not been used to smiling so much himself, he would've thought Norah was making him do it. After a moments thought though, he realized she was. No one besides the guys and Effy had really appreciated his silliness, and got a good chuckle from it. He admired Norah for joining the tiny group.

Popping one of the candies into her mouth, Norah immediately scrunched her face, spitting it out into a napkin. Carlos howled with laughter, holding his sides they began to ache. She gave him arm a small shove, her lips curling up. She never gave much thought to having a date, at least not when she lived with her father and brothers. Her life had always been soccer. Now that she escaped her father's tyranny, and claimed her life as her own, she could see so many more doors opening. All the opportunities she wouldn't have been able to even consider were now possibilities. This revelation made her smile stretch further, and she looked around the pier, pointing across the dock to one of the lined up buildings.

"Can we go there? I've always wanted to," Norah asked, licking her lips. Carlos looked across the dock, chuckling when he spotted what Norah pointed out.

"McDonalds?" he questioned, smirking. Standing up, Carlos took Norah's hand, leading her away from their table. He tossed their trash away, still laughing to himself. As they walked through the swarm of people, leaving the pier behind, Carlos thought about the reaction he'd get after talking about the details of his date. "I can't wait to tell the guys I took you to McDonalds. James is going to scream." Tilting her head in confusion, Norah stared at him curiously.

"Why would he scream?"

Approaching the fast food restaurant, Carlos opened the door for Norah, following her inside.

"It's just- James thinks dates should be really formal. He takes high maintenance girls to super fancy, expensive restaurants. He doesn't like McDonalds much, 'cause he's obsessed with being healthy and staying fit," he explained. Norah shook her head as she picked their table, grinning at how high the seats were.

"I think I hate formality. After growing up in all that high profile nonsense, I really like this. I mean, wearing my favorite hat? This cute earrings? Jeans! It's different. Nice," Norah admitted. Carlos bit his lip, staring down at his feet. He could feel his ears burning, and he didn't even know why he was blushing now. Clearing his throat, he pointed his thumbs at the counter.

"So what do you want? I'll... go order," he said, pausing when Norah's eyes locked with his. Every time he looked at it felt like the first time again. He couldn't get over the fact that he was really here, in this moment, with her. She eyed the menu for just a moment before shrugging.

"Get me whatever you usually get," she replied. Carlos's eyes bulged, and he shook his head.

"That's probably the most unhealthy thing on the menu. Or- Not on the menu, but... as unhealthy as you can get," he insisted, shaking his head. Placing her hand on his shoulder, Norah smiled.

"Good."

Carlos didn't completely grasp how strict Norah had been living until now. Slowly, he started to understand that she seemed desperate to branch out and try whatever she could in as short a time possible. He adored the way she did it, and he smiled at the fact that he was the one introducing her to all of the things she'd missed out on. He ordered their food, thinking of what they could do on their next date, when he realized how amazing it sounded in his head. _Their next date_. Carrying the tray back to the table, Carlos handed her two of the sandwiches.

"Okay, here's what you do," he instructed, taking his sandwiches and unwrapping them. Norah copied, watching intently as he worked. "Ditch the bread on this spicy chicken one, and put it on this hamburger one. You with me so far?" Nodding, Norah fixed her food the way Carlos had his. Replacing the bun, Carlos held up the combined sandwiches. "A hot and spicy, and a mcdouble. Fills you up for the whole day, and it's only two dollars. Genius, ain't it?" Staring at the sandwich, Norah raised one eyebrow, contemplating whether or not she would really eat it. Stealing a glance at Carlos, she thought about the rollercoaster they rode earlier. She'd been hesitant about that too, but Carlos made it easier. She trusted him. Blowing out a small breath, Norah bit into the sandwich, pausing as she got a taste of all the flavors. Carlos waited for her to swallow, waiting to hear her thoughts.

"Oh my God!" she exclaimed, looking to Carlos. "That's awesome!"

Relief took over Carlos's expression, and he and Norah spent the rest of their time eating, and building shapes and stick figures from their fries on the tray. They remained there until the sun went down, and even then, they didn't want to go. However, Carlos knew Mama Knight would want him home before it was too late. Norah understood, and together they walked back to the pier to fetch their bikes. The race home resulted in a win for Carlos, with the stakes remaining the same as they were earlier in the day.

"I believe you owe me a kiss," he said, smirking. Norah returned his grin, closing her eyes as she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. They chained up their bikes, and Carlos kept his arm around her waist as they walked inside the Palmwoods. Mostly the lobby was empty, but he could see James, Logan, and Kendall outside by their fire-pit. The boys spotted him, but he simply nodded and continued walking with Norah into the elevator. "So... You had a good time tonight, yeah?"

"Are you kidding? Of course I did," Norah's answer was quick, much to Carlos's delight. He cleared his throat, standing with her in silence until the doors opened and they walked to her apartment. Looking at the number, Carlos memorized it quickly, hoping he'd be coming back. Standing outside the door for a few moments, Norah and Carlos shared an awkward laugh before he cleared his throat.

"Would you, uh... like to go out again sometime?" he offered, smiling hopefully. Norah pulled her key from her pocket, unlocking the door. She paused, thinking, and nodding when she looked back at Carlos.

"I'd like that. You should give me a call, or text," she said. Holding up a finger, Norah disappeared inside before coming out with a pen. "I couldn't find any paper, err- Here, hold out your hand." Obeying her command, Carlos held his hand out to her, his heartbeat picking up as she wrote her number down. When she finished, she curled his fingers into his palm squeezing his hand. "I'll... see you soon." With one last smile, Norah stepped back into her apartment, closing the door behind her. Leaning against the wall, Carlos stared at the phone number on his hand. If they guys didn't believe the date turned out well just from his story, now they would have proof. Sighing contently, Carlos began his walk back down to the first floor. There was an even more of an extra skip in his step, and his dreamy expression couldn't be wiped away by anything.

"I've got sunshine on a cloudy day!" he sang at the top of his lungs, snapping his fingers. "I guess you'd say, what can make me feel this way? My girl!"


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: It's finally done! Took me long enough, huh? I'm really sorry about that. Excuses, excuses, I know. The next story, however, will definitely be updated on a weekly basis. I'm gonna write it all out first, and then present it to you all when it's at the absolute best! I love you all for your support, and please check out the Tumblr blog dedicated to the fics here on ! I'll answer questions you might have, and post teasers/deleted scenes. Speaking of which, there IS a deleted scene for this story. Logan and Kendall write their own song, and you can find it on the blog. The link is on my profile! Thanks again for your support. I love you.**

* * *

><p>Yawning, Carlos rubbed the sleep from his eyes, smiling when he heard his phone beeping. Opening the message, he was greeted with a picture of Norah. Chuckling, he turned on the camera, taking a picture of himself. He was comfortable in bed, but if she was up, he was ready to get up too. Sending the picture, Carlos sat up and stretched, scratching the back of his neck. The room was empty; James usually woke up before Carlos. As he expected, James threw a small tantrum over the fact that he'd gone to McDonalds with Norah, instead of somewhere "more appropriate." Shaking his head, he opened a new message to Norah, typing: <em>I'm posting that picture to Twitter. You're adorable in pink.<em> Almost immediately, he received a reply.

_You can post mine if I can post yours. xo_

Running his thumb over the picture, Carlos posted it to Twitter. No more than six minutes later, Norah posted his as a reply. Setting his phone on the dresser, he pulled out the clothes he wanted to wear, and quickly changed. He thought about what his fans would say in response to the picture, and grinned at the thought of asking Norah what she should be referred to as. Norah, his friend, or Norah, his girlfriend? Their second date turned out as successful as the first, with Carlos taking Norah to the video store to rent as many movies as they could watch in a day. After that date, they went ice skating, and he taught her how to balance properly on the ice so she wouldn't slip anymore.

When Norah had to practice with the team, Carlos would stop by afterwards to say hi, and if Carlos had to spend the day in the studio, Norah would spam him with photo messages. She quickly picked up on how to avoid Gustavo or Kelly if she wanted to sneak into the studio to bring Carlos lunch, and he would always thank her with a kiss to the cheek. They still had yet to kiss on the lips, or talk about what their status was, but Carlos liked that. He didn't want to go on one date and immediately be boyfriend and girlfriend. A couple weeks had passed since that first date, and he still hadn't even introduced her to his friends. Today, however, that would all change. He considered the options, and decided after two weeks, he wanted to say Norah was his girlfriend. Whistling the tune to My Girl, he jogged down the stairs to the living room.

"So Carlos!" Kendall called out his name, stretching the vowels as he practically sang them. James and Logan sat on either side of him, and the boys leaned against the kitchen counter as Carlos opened the fridge to grab a bottle of water. He smirked, twisting off the cap and taking a dream. "Are we _finally_ gonna meet this Norah girl today?" The boys batted their eyelashes, cackling with each other as Carlos set the water bottle down.

"Yep," he answered simply. Freezing, Kendall, James, and Logan stared at Carlos.

"What?" they asked in unison, exchanging glances. Since his first date with Norah, the boys had been asking Carlos when they were going to be officially introduced. He dodged their question masterfully, always coming up with an excuse or a way to avoid it. Carlos took another drink, wiping the corner of his mouth.

"You're meeting her today. We're hanging out by the pool, and you're gonna meet her," he explained. Grinning from ear to ear, Carlos sat down on the couch, checking his phone to see if Norah had texted him back. Approaching him curiously, Logan folded his arms over his chest.

"What's with the sudden change of heart?" he questioned. Kendall and James stood beside him, copying Logan's pose. Carlos chuckled, shrugging as if he didn't know what they were talking about. "Oh come on, don't play dumb! What's going on? You've got that 'I know something' face on." Again, Carlos laughed, shrugging. His friends sat around him, and he licked his lips.

"I'm gonna ask Norah to be my girlfriend. Tonight," he revealed. At first, the boys seemed excited. Then their expressions sobered, and turned to confusion.

"I thought she was already your girlfriend," Kendall said.

"You've been doing the whole dating thing for like two weeks, right?" James added, frowning. Carlos nodded, folding his legs underneath him.

"Yeah, dating. That doesn't mean relationship, you know? We're taking it kinda slow. I think that works better for us," he admitted. Logan's expression went from confused to impressed, and he patted Carlos's back.

"Wow," he said, his lips pursed. "That's actually pretty smart, Car." Kendall and James appeared to agree, and they watched as Carlos answered a text, presumably from Norah. Tucking the phone away, he pushed himself up, standing in front of his friends.

"You all ready to go?" he asked. James, Logan, and Kendall looked outside, wondering if they could spot Norah at the pool.

"What, now?" Logan figured with the sudden maturity Carlos showed, he'd be able to give them a heads up as to when they would be meeting his soon-to-be girlfriend. Sighing, he smirked, knowing that even if Carlos could be mature, he was still Carlos, and old habits died hard. "I guess I'm as ready as I'll ever be." He stood beside Carlos, and James and Kendall exchanged one last glance before grinning up at Carlos and standing beside him.

Together they walked down to the pool, with Carlos stopping them at the doors. He found Norah immediately, and a grin stretched across his face as he got down on his stomach and army-crawled to the table she was at. His phone in hand, he lied down by her chair, taking a picture of her. The boys watched as her expression changed from blank to amused, and she took out her own phone, snapping a picture of Carlos. He laughed, and she helped him up, turning when he beckoned his friends over. James looked impressed that Norah didn't reprimand him for the picture, as did Kendall. If he ever did something like that to Jo, she would complain about how bad she looked from the angle. Already, the boys could see that Norah worked well with their wild brother.

"Guys, I'd like you to meet Norah," Carlos held out his arms, presenting Norah extravagantly. Logan chuckled, being the first to hold out his hand. Smiling earnestly, she took it and shook, doing the same for James and Kendall. "Norah, these guys are my best friends- brothers, actually. This is James, that's Logan, and that's Kendall." Pointing out each friend, he sat down, inviting Norah to sit on his lap.

"It's nice to meet all of you," she said, her hand resting beside Carlos's on the table. "I've been told so much about you. Carlos always tells me the funniest things you boys do together! Tell me, how did you manage to turn the pool into a jacuzzi?" Laughing at the memory, the boys exchanged glances, before all of them looked to Logan. He exhaled heavily, his lips curling up in a small smirk. The jacuzzi was by far his best work, and to this day he remained proud of it.

"All I had to do was reroute some tubing, turn on the fans that are used for the central air conditioning- Totally not even rocket science after you get through the whole water vs. electricity thing," Logan boasted, earning a small, playful shove from James. Norah clearly didn't understand, but she smiled anyway, laughing when she and Carlos exchanged looks. "Yeah, the guys did the same thing when I explained it then too." James and Kendall joined in with laughter, and soon enough, Logan was chuckling too.

"Hey, I'll be back in a sec, I'm gonna get us some smoothies," Carlos announced, sliding out of the seat and squeezing Norah's hand before walking away. Norah folded her hands on the table, her eyes darting from them to the boys.

"So, Norah, how do you like America? I've read that you've lived in Brazil your whole life," Kendall stated, attempting to diffuse the silence. He wanted to befriend Norah, just as he was sure the rest of the guys did. If she really meant a lot to Carlos, then he wanted to be supportive, and welcome her into their group. The boys tried to do the same for Jo, although mostly her time was split between filming, promoting her career, and dates with Kendall. Clearing his throat, and the thoughts buzzing in his head, he quickly added, "Carlos told us you wanted to try out McDonalds." At this, James buried his face in his hands, his body trembling as he stifled his laughter.

"I can't believe he did that. I still. Cannot. Believe it."

Norah smirked, nodding.

"He said you would freak out over that. I didn't believe him at first," she replied. Logan rolled his eyes, shaking his head. Turning to look at Kendall, Norah bit her lip and thought about what she'd told Carlos when he asked similar questions. "I really enjoy the freedoms I have here. There's so much to do and so many things to try. I'm having fun - and I owe so much of that to Carlos. He says you boys could teach me how to play hockey!" Kendall grinned, giving Norah a thumbs up.

"That'd be cool. We're the best hockey players at the Palmwoods-"

"The only hockey players, actually," Logan corrected Kendall with a smirk, and Norah giggled. Carlos had told her all about his brothers, and her impression of them was exactly what she expected. She liked them, and she could only hope they liked her too. Their thoughts would more than likely mean a lot to Carlos, and she respected that.

"Alright, smoothies, everyone!" Carlos exclaimed, five smoothies balancing in his arms. James took a couple, passing them to Kendall and Logan, while Carlos handed one to Norah. This time, he sat in her lap, both of them laughing as he did so. For the remainder of the morning, the boys talked to Norah, and Carlos admired how all of them were already connecting so easily. He hadn't expected anything less from his supportive family, but it was still a relief to see everything working out so well. Grinning from ear to ear, he soaked in the hopeful feelings he had toward the outcome of the night. If everything went the way he wanted it to, by this time tomorrow, he would officially have a girlfriend.

* * *

><p>"<em>DOGS! Griffin has asked me to get a couple songs from you boys. He insists that you're capable of writing smash hits for your next album, and I'm insisting that you got lucky ONCE. I'm gonna need at least two songs from you by tomorrow morning!"<em>

Sighing into his pillow, Carlos rolled over, staring at James. He paced on the opposite side of the room, the tip of a pen between his teeth. All day they'd known about this assignment from Gustavo, but they'd blown it off until the last minute. Partially, Carlos was thankful. Now, he didn't have to worry about asking Norah to be his girlfriend. The nerves got the better of him, and just the thought of it was beginning to make his stomach sour. What if she said no? What if she decided they should just stay friends? Of course he would respect that, but it would break his heart. He really liked Norah.

"You got anything yet?" James asked, glancing down at the small notebook in his hand. Carlos shrugged, flipping a couple pages back in his binder. Kendall and Logan had already worked out a song, and they told James and Carlos the other one was their responsibility now. It wasn't that the two boys didn't want to do the work and pull their weight as much as it was they weren't the best at writing songs - especially together. However, tonight felt different. There were bits and pieces of lyrics coming to Carlos's mind, but he couldn't figure out how to link them together. At any rate, he didn't know how good of a song it would make. All of his thoughts were coming from something he remembered Norah saying.

"_With my Dad, and even my brothers, I just- I felt invisible. They never really acknowledged me outside of soccer. It was weird growing up like that, and then suddenly having all of these fans that adore you and want to know who you are."_

"Sort of," Carlos replied, pushing himself into a sitting position. James walked over to him, plopping down on the empty bed space. Underlining the lyrics he liked most, Carlos handed the binder to James, and in return, took the notepad from James's hand. Reading over the few things he'd jotted down, Carlos nodded, liking what he read. "Are you gonna speak up or lose yourself in a crowd... Can't give up, but can't walk away... This is a good start, I guess." Trying to encourage James, Carlos flashed him a smile, but James didn't return it. He shrugged, still trying to figure out the messy scrawl that was Carlos's handwriting.

"It's stupid. I like what you've got here though," James lifted the binder, circling a small chunk of lyrics that Carlos hadn't bothered to underline. "The sky's the limit and I'll be by your side? You're not invisible to me? Now _those_ are good lyrics." Feeling a small sense of pride swelling up, Carlos scratched the back of his head, chuckling.

"Well, it gets easier to write when there's a girl on your mind," he reasoned. At first, James chuckled with him. Then he stopped and stood up, walking silently back over to his desk.

"Easier and harder," James partially agreed, his shoulders slumping as he took a seat. Carlos frowned, folding his arms over his chest.

"What do you mean?" he asked, climbing out of bed and slowly approaching James. Shaking his head, James went back to writing. Carlos wasn't going let the matter drop though. He perched himself on the edge of James's bed, leaning over the desk to see what he was writing. Something began to click for Carlos, and after a minute, his eyes widened. "Dude, is there a girl on your mind?" His question came off as a taunt, but it was mainly because Carlos couldn't believe it. James Diamond didn't have crushes on girls. The girls had crushes on him. That was what he always said, and how it had always been. Waving Carlos off, James set the pen down, his lips pressed into a thin line.

"Yes, and she's a girl I can't have, so we're gonna leave it at that."

Brow furrowing, Carlos stood over James, trying to read what else he'd written. Maybe it would give him some kind of clue as to who he was talking about.

"What do you mean you can't have her?" he questioned, slapping James's hand away when he swatted at him. James groaned, falling onto his bed and rubbing his face in his hands.

"I mean, she's not interested in me like that, she never will be, and she's with someone else. All of the above, you know?" James scowled, turning to face the wall. Carlos couldn't let it go. A girl had finally gotten the best of James. He never thought this would happen - he was tempted to get Kendall and Logan to come and see. They would never believe him otherwise. Again, something clicked for Carlos, and he poked at James's sides.

"Is it Jo?!"

"What? No way, she's not my type," James mumbled, pulling away from Carlos's jabbing fingers.

"Camille? Because I don't think Logan would be mad it you-"

"Ugh!" James growled as he leaped out of bed, storming to his desk. He yanked the bottom drawer open, sifting through the papers and pulling out a blue, leather-bound journal. Throwing it in Carlos's lap, he leaned against the wall, glaring out the window. Carlos's excitement quickly vanished, and his eyes darted from the journal in his lap to the brooding James. Biting his lip, he looked over the journal, seeing no particular markings on the outside. Unclipping the latch, he opened it, seeing that the pages were all full. There might've been more written, but from what Carlos could see, all it seemed to say was: _I love her_. Glued to the last page was a picture of Effy. Eyes wide, Carlos closed the book, setting it on the desk.

"You want _Effy_?"

"Don't say it out loud!" James hissed, as if Logan would be able to hear them. Sighing frustratedly, James began pacing again, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't intend for it to- I didn't want it to be like this. I didn't really have much choice, it just happened. One day, it occurred to me that she's probably the only girl in the world that's ever meant so much to me and- It's a bunch of bullshit, okay, Carlos? Can we please just drop it and never talk about it again?" The desperation in James's eyes put off Carlos. He'd never really seen James like this, and he wasn't liking it. Not once would he have ever guessed that James felt this way about Effy. He wondered how long James had been keeping it secret. He couldn't ask questions though; James made it clear he didn't want that, and Carlos knew better than to go against those wishes.

Placing a hand on James's shoulder, Carlos gave him a small, comforting squeeze. The gesture meant more than anything he could think to say.

* * *

><p>If anything good came from James admitting his feelings for Effy to Carlos, it was what he was doing now. Carlos tossed and turned all night after writing more for his song. He borrowed a few lyrics from James with his permission, and once it was done, his thoughts turned to Norah. James seemed bitter over his crush on Effy. Now, Carlos didn't know how long James had been nursing this crush, but he knew that he didn't want to turn out the same way. He liked Norah a lot, and he didn't want to regret anything. If she got away without him being able to ask if they could be something special, he would regret it for the rest of his life. So here he was, flowers in hand, walking out to the pool. Guitar Dude was already there waiting for him, as were the rest of the guys.<p>

"He's here, bring her out," Kendall spoke into a walkie talkie, winking at Carlos. The boys all looked up, waiting for the door to Jo's balcony to open. Guitar Dude tuned the strings to his guitar, strumming to make sure everything sounded alright. Carlos had whistled the melody he wanted played for the song, and he was grateful that Guitar Dude had the skill to nail it with just a few minutes of practice. Kendall, James, and Logan all had copies of the lyrics, and their job was to help with vocals.

Only a little over a month ago, the boys had done this exact same favor for Logan and Effy. Carlos hadn't forgotten, and he realized how smart it was. None of them were good with words, but they were pretty damn fair singers. The door opened, and Carlos felt his heart flip as Norah stepped out. She looked around, confused, until she saw Carlos staring up at her. Smiling, she opened her mouth to speak, but Carlos closed his eyes, holding a finger to his lips. Jo and Camille stood on either side of Norah, exchanging knowing smiles. Guitar Dude began playing, and Carlos gulped, licking his lips. His mouth was dry, as was his throat, and he found himself choking. However, before the cue could be missed, James sang for him.

"Do you ever wonder..."

Carlos glanced over his shoulder at James, relief washing over him. Nodding, James continued to sing, patting Carlos's back. He blew out a gust of air, clearing his head and licking his lips again. As Kendall and Logan harmonized for James, and the first verse neared the end, Carlos cleared his throat.

"I won't let you fall, I see you through them all," Carlos sang, his eyes locking on Norah. At first the vocals were quiet, but rapidly the volume increased, and Norah couldn't fight the smile from stretching across her face. "And I just wanna let you know-" The rest of the boys joined in, and Carlos grinned when he saw Norah's expression. "When the lights go down in the city, you'll be right there shining bright! You're a star, the sky's the limit, and I'll be right by your side!" Carlos reached his hands up to Norah, amazed to see that her eyes looked watery. Was he really bringing her to tears? "You're not invisible to me! Oh, you're not gonna be invisible!"

Norah bit her lip, burying her face in her hands. The boys only planned on singing through the first verse and chorus, and that seemed to be enough. Carlos let his hands fall to his sides, and feeling the adrenaline pumping through his veins, he ran to the wall, jumping up and grabbing the ledge of the building. Kendall, James, and Logan ran after him to catch him if he fell, but Carlos effortlessly climbed up to the balcony, breathing heavily once he made it to the top. With nothing between them but the concrete railing, Carlos and Norah stared into each other's eyes, smiling.

"Hey," he whispered, his hand brushing against Norah's face. She leaned into his palm, closing her eyes.

"Hey," she responded. Carlos leaned forward, his forehead pressing against hers. "So what's with all of this?" She already had her suspicions of the answer, but she wanted to hear Carlos say it. He gulped, but this time, his mouth didn't run dry. Everyone waited, knowing it was now or never.

"It's my way of asking..." Carlos closed his eyes, chuckling. The excitement in his stomach was overwhelming. "Will you be my girlfriend?" Norah's smile widened, and she glanced at Camille and Jo on either side of her before peering over the balcony to see the boys waiting. Lifting her hands, she held Carlos's face, her nose brushing against his.

Leaning forward, she pressed her lips against his. Carlos's eyes widened, but after a moment, they closed. His fingers tangled in her hair, and he kissed her, enjoying how soft her lips were.

It was their first full on kiss.


End file.
